Silas Marner Themes - Community

Question 1

Give 6 quotes that show how community is essential for happiness

Answer 1

“centre of the circle”
“direct rays of the fire”
“warmth of a hearth that was not his own”
“the little child had come to link him once more to the whole world”
“And if you could but ha’ gone on trustening… you wouldn’t ha’ run away from your fellow-creaturs and been so lone”
“now Silas was met with open faces and cheerful questioning”
“when a man deserved his good luck, it was the part of his neighbors to wish him well”

Question 2

Give 3 quotes about the dangers of closed minded communities

Answer 2

“thus it came to pass that his movement of pity towards Sally Oates, which had given him a transient sense of brotherhood, heightened the repulsion between him and his neighbours and made his isolation more complete”
“narrow sect”
“shaken trust in God and man”

Question 3

Give 5 quotes that show how lack of community can be dangerous

Answer 3

“seemed to weave, like a spider, from pure impulse, without reflection”
“to reduce his life to the unquestioning activity of a spinning insect”
“to bridge over the loveless chasms of his life”
“Silas spent his Christmas day in loneliness”

Question 4

Give 3 pieces of context relating to community

Answer 4

During industrialization, rural communities began to be decimated due to moves from small communities to industrial work- Eliot presents nostalgia at the loss of these precious tight knit communities
Eliot herself moved to the industrial city of Coventry as a young woman
Industrial life is far more anonymous - shown by how Silas cannot recognize anything around where Lantern Yard used to be